Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 58 | 61 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 60% | 60 | 238 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 46% | 49 | 3 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 8 reviews sampled · 4 total reviews in window · weighted 1.6 up / 1.9 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (64)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 50
“Dolmen tried to be another big hit, but many problems stopped it from being great. Like the feeling of the whole game, overly tricky enemies, and boring bosses. Dolmen is not an unplayable game, but it feels like it doesn't want you to keep playing.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The demo I got to play certainly didn’t reveal all the wonders the developers have in store for us. But I can already say that if you’re a fan of the Souls games, Dolmen is a must-play for you. The combat is intense, and there are several weapons and pieces of equipment available that you can further customize. The Reactor feature adds a unique twist to the game, though it takes some getting used to. We can look forward to the title sometime in 2022, and it’s coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and of course PC.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“Dolmen is little but an average, derivative game with some serious balance issues. Now, this can be mended in time, and apart from that, it offers enjoyable exploration, decent gunplay, and pleasant stylistics. Still, for most players, that might not be enough.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Dolmen stands out as a bold and ambitious experiment, defined by a striking artistic identity and an atmosphere that genuinely conveys unease and tension. Despite its production limitations, Revion Prime leaves a lasting impression: alien landscapes, unsettling creatures, and meticulous sound design combine to create a world that lingers long after the game is turned off. What impresses most is Dolmen’s willingness to innovate within a familiar formula. The integration of ranged weapons into combat, the energy management system, and crafting mechanics demonstrate that Massive Work Studio sought not to replicate other soulslikes, but to create a game with its own distinctive identity. Imperfect though it may be, this ambition deserves recognition: the game doesn’t just imitate, it strives to do something different. That said, the game is not without flaws. Technical issues, stiff animations, frame rate drops, and recycled environments, diminish the sense of polish, especially in a genre that demands precision and fluidity. The narrative, while thematically intriguing, can feel opaque, leaving players seeking richer storylines or more memorable characters wanting more. Emotionally, the experience alternates between moments of deep immersion, particularly during boss fights and tense exploration, and frustration caused by balancing issues or technical hiccups. Dolmen demands skill, patience, and focus, and it does not always reward players proportionally to the effort required. Yet, despite these shortcomings, Dolmen offers something rare: a distinctive, intimate, and daring experience. It appeals to players who enjoy testing themselves in hostile worlds and who appreciate a sense of cosmic threat and alienation. It’s not for everyone, but for those who understand its approach and accept its limits, it can be surprisingly rewarding. Ultimately, Dolmen feels “imperfect but sincere.” It never pretends to be more than it is; instead, it reflects the passion and vision of a team willing to take risks. It is worth experiencing at least once, to immerse oneself in a uniquely alien world and to acknowledge its efforts to innovate within a genre that risks growing stale. Furthermore, given its low price and the improvements since launch, Dolmen is a title that soulslike enthusiasts should not miss.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“A lot of effort seems to have gone into certain aspects, such as the level design. But the game is held back by some poor gameplay design decisions that incur frustration, a UI and controls that feel rudimentary, a multiplayer feature they seem to not want you to use, and a lack of inspiration. If this game cooked for another six months to a year, the devs could take it beyond just having the basics to being something truly special. But as it stands right now, this game does not really offer enough satisfaction and enjoyment to be worth its asking price.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Dolmen really has lots of potential. It could have been a decent first effort from Massive Work Studio, if not for the jankiness and bugs. Some of the progression system and mechanics (like the crafting system) might be worth looking into, but as of right now, they’re underdeveloped and not well explained.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“It can't compete with the brilliance of Elden Ring (no shame in that) but it also falls short of other AA sci-fi action-RPGs like The Surge and Hellpoint. Ultimately, it seems less like an offshoot of Dark Souls and more like a proof of concept launched before From Software birthed the sub-genre.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Dolmen's janky combat, cheap difficulty, and grindy multiplayer mechanic make it tough to recommend to all but the most devoted 'Souls fans that'll stomach it.”
read full review ↗ - 25
“Dolmen is devoid of any soul, any passion. It feels like the product of burn-out and boredom halfway through development, as the game is pushed through the finish line.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“Clunky combat, boring progression, threadbare plot, unrewarding exploration, and a laughably bad healing mechanic. All of these lead to a soulless Souls-like that is Dolmen.”
read full review ↗ - 79
“Dolmen manages to take the Souls formula by giving it a twist and incorporating it into a space environment, with very exciting action-rpg and exploration properties.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“There is multiplayer for those finding the game too hard, but I found it harder to find a partner to play with than the game itself so that is likely off the table for most players. Dolmen just feels like scraps when a four course meal is literally right there. It was a bad time to release a game of this type when it falls so short of the mark set by the best in the genre and even falls below the current imitators. I am all for expanding on a game idea, but there has to be something there to make it feel special and unique and Dolmen just doesn’t have anything setting it apart on any level.”
read full review ↗
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ZTGD…and 52 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- PATCH NOTES JULY 08 2022Jul 8, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- PATCH NOTES JUNE 03 2022Jun 3, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- State of the Game UpdateOct 1, 2020
- Hud 2.0Sep 21, 2018
- Kickstarter UpdateAug 28, 2018
- Kickstarter UpdateAug 27, 2018
- Kickstarter UpdateAug 24, 2018